HouseNJ: Our Blueprint for Housing Justice

• A Code Red pilot program was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy.
• Capping Rental Application Fees: S3659/A4899 (Carter/Lopez/Stack/Mukherji): Places rental application fees' caps at $50 for leasing or subleasing residential rental properties. If a landlord's costs for credit checks or related services exceed $50, they are still restricted to charging only $50 as an application fee. Sets penalties.
  Experiential requirements for real estate appraisers seeking licensure or certification: S1312/A2279 (Singleton/McKnight/Lopez).
  Municipal Homelessness Trust Funds: Allows towns to set aside a percentage of building permit fees for resources and to adopt a homeless housing plan, S4832/A3360 (Carter/Scutari).
  Establishes certain state funding preferences for municipalities that enhance opportunities to develop housing, S4364/A4913 (Coughlin/Speight/Mukherji/Wimberly).
  "The Manufactured Home Park Protection Act": Allows nonprofits, through the homeowners, to purchase manufactured home park properties if the property owner is looking to sell the land. S3913/A4973 (Bailey/Hutchison/Wimberly).
  "The Safe Communities Act" (A6308): protects sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and libraries from immigration enforcement.

Earlier wins:

• After fierce campaigning from HCDNNJ and our allies, $45M was restored to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund from the $125M diversion.
• The Network, its members, and its coalition, solidified NJ's Fourth Round Affordable Housing Obligations under the state's landmark Mount Laurel decision by successful advocacy of A4/S50. This legislation, which formally abolishes the state's outdated Council on Affordable Housing, outlines many ways towns can achieve their fair share obligations through preservation, upzoning, rehabilitation, inclusionary zoning, and more. The Network will work closely with our CDC and nonprofit builder members seeking to be part of approved municipal fair share plans.